7 Ways to Help Your High School Student Succeed
by Emily Ewen
byNoel Spalding
6 min to readSpecial education students across the nation are now learning remotely and online, some for the first time. For many students and their families, a transition to online learning can be a big adjustment and, at times, uncomfortable. With this in mind, special educators at Connections Academy®‒supported schools encourage you to first focus on your student’s health and well-being. Assess this regularly as you and your student work with teachers in the online environment. Below are some tips for learning at home. You know your child best—you’ve got this!
Reach out to your child’s teacher if you don’t have a copy.
All students are used to schedules and routines. Create a daily schedule for your child that includes time for assignments, breaks, eating, and play. For consistency, consider mirroring the Monday through Friday schedule your child had in school prior to the closure. See additional resources, tips, and best practices for learning online at home, including sample schedules.
Lesson modifications may be listed on your child’s IEPs or Section 504 plans. Modifications are adjustments to the assignment that may better help your child learn the material and complete activities.
Special educators often use a multisensory approach to support student engagement and learning. You can use this approach, which encourages using all senses to learn, to help reinforce learning with your child too.
Visual learners take information in when presented visually. PBS Learning offers videos, lesson plans, and activities.
Auditory learners understand information better when it is presented orally. Audible and your local library offer online books.
“Hands-on” learners like to be in motion and benefit from tactile opportunities. Scholastic Learn at Home offers daily projects for students to complete.
Your child may need help overcoming learning blocks and obstacles throughout the day. Help your child talk about this so you can make small changes and improvements to your schedule, approach, or resources used.
"It can take time to adjust to the online learning environment. You are not alone in this journey. It will help to make a plan and stay connected to others. You know your child, and can support meaningful learning experiences within your home. Be gentle with yourself, celebrate successes, and adjust when things aren’t working."
— Noel Spalding, Director, Teaching Operations, Special Education
by Emily Ewen
by Emily Ewen
by Emily Ewen